Dale Benjamin Courtney

Oregon State Police — Salem, OR

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch October 1, 1950

Age 25

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 30

Incident

Trooper Bennie Courtney was shot and killed after responding to a call of shots being fired at a farm in Tigard, Oregon. When he arrived, he found a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy inside the farmhouse. As Trooper Courtney approached the house, the 14-year-old shot and killed him with a shotgun. The boy then shot and wounded the farmhouse owner and escaped. Both boys, who had escaped a juvenile facility, were later arrested, convicted, and sentenced to prison. They were both later paroled. Trooper Courtney was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He had served with the Oregon State Police for four months and previously served with the McMinnville Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife, daughter, mother, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-C5D2691C
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Courtney gave the Oregon State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Oregon State Police

Location Salem, OR

Platform Identity osp.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 1950

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender shooting call

Military Service

Dale Benjamin Courtney served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Trooper Dale Benjamin Courtney is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oregon State Police, 16 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.6% of this agency's fallen.

Oregon State Police

of 31 officers

51.6% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious